Bed and platen duplicate ticket printing machine



Dec. 10,

- J. 5. DUDLEY 3,415,183

BED AND PLATEN DUPLICATE TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 10, 1968 J. s. DUDLEY 3,415,183

BED AND PLATEN DUPLICATE TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed NOV- 9, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 2 'I l////////fl///////////////,Y)//)" Dec. 10, 1968 J. s.DUDLEY 3,415,133

ED AND PLATEN DUPLICATE TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9. 1966 4Sheets-Sheet '5 776/657" FEED 5777/? FZID S/NGLE PIP/NT D0 UBL E PIP/ 7'cur J United States Patent 3,415,183 BED AND PLATEN DUPLICATE TICKETPRINTING MACHINE John S. Dudley, Douglas, Mass., assignor to DennisonManufacturing Company, Framingham, Mass, a corporation of Nevada FiledNov. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 593,112 Claims. (Cl. 101-68) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Apparatus for printing on strip stock from which tickets arecut, the stock being fed along a predetermined path past first andsecond printing stations during each cycle of operation, printers atsaid stations for printing parallel lines of indicia, the printers beingdisposed along said path so that one printer prints spaced lines ofindicia and the." other printer prints a line of indicia between saidspaced lines, whereby the lines may be closely juxtaposed with dial-setprinters.

This invention relates to apparatus for printing price tickets or otherstock, particularly apparatus using strip stock from which tickets arecut. The apparatus may also attach the tickets to articles, as forexample by pinning them on fabrics. The apparatus is especially usefulin socalled dial-set machines of the type disclosed in the patent toFlood 2,023,045 where the printing characters are carried by beltstrained over rollers side by side so that various combinations ofprinting characters may be brought into printing position by turningdials.

In printing price tickets it is often desirable to print rows of indiciain addition to the prices, and it is desirable to minimize the size ofthe tickets. Consequently it is desirable to print the rows in closejuxtaposition. While this is easy to do with printing cases, it has notbeen possible to print the rows very close together with dial-setmachines.

Objects of the present invention are to provide apparatus in which therows of indicia may be printed in close juxtaposition with any type ofprinting apparatus, including the aforesaid dial-set type, which issimple and economical to produce, which can be adjusted to vary theposition of the printing on the tickets, which can be adjusted to varythe position of the rows if indicia relatively to each other, and whichis durable and reliable in use.

According to this invention the apparatus comprises means for feedingstock along a predetermined path past first and second printing stationsduring each cycle of operation, a printer at the first station forprinting one or more lines of indicia onthe stock and a printer at thesec- .ond station for printing one or more additional lines of indiciaon the stock in close parallel juxtaposition to said line or lines, saidstations being distributed lengthwise of said path. Preferably theapparatus comprises means for fee-ding a section of stock to the firstprinting station before the first printing and then feeding the portionto the second station, means for subsequently ejecting said section, andmeans for stopping operation after each cycle of operations comprisingthe aforesaid steps.

In a more specific aspect the stock comprises a strip and the apparatuscomprises means between the two stations for cutting tickets or othersections from the strip, and said two printing steps are equal in lengthso that said sections are equal in length.

In a still more specific aspect the two feedings are performed by thesame feeder in two steps during each cycle of operation, the apparatusis characterized by first means for varying the stopping location of thefirst step to adjust the position of the first printing lengthwise ofthe section, and second means for varying the stopping location of thesecond step to adjust the position of the second printing relatively tothe first printing, the feeder comprises an arm swinging about an axisand the apparatus comprises a spring to advance the arm and a cam tolimit the advance, said first means comprising an eccentric or othermeans to shift said axis and said second means comprises-an adjustablestop.

In the preferred embodiment the apparatus comprises means for actuatingsaid printers concomitantly and a controller for causing said means toactuate the printers once during each cycle for single tickets and twiceduring each cycle for double tickets, and the two feedings are performedby the same feeder in two steps and the apparatus has a secondcontroller to cause the feeder to advance the stock once during eachcycle for single tickets and twice during each cycle for double tickets.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation with the parts in the idle position theyoccupy at the beginning and end of each cycle of operation;

FIG. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale showing the parts in theposition they occupy at the end of the first step of the strip feeder ineach cycle;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the eccentricadjustment of the feeder arm;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view from line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6-6- of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view;

FIG. 8 shows the relative timing of the movements of the various parts;

FIGS. 9 to 15 are diagrammatic side views showing successive steps inprinting single tickets;

FIGS. 16 to 18 are diagrammatic plan views showing successive steps inprinting single tickets;

FIGS. 19 to 25 are diagrammatic side views showing successive steps inprinting double tickets; and

FIGS. .26 to 28 are diagrammatic plan views showing successive steps inprinting double tickets.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose ofillustration is adapted to print either single tickets S (FIGS. 9 to 18)or double tickets D (FIGS. 19 to 28) which may be one and two incheslong respectively and which may be cut from strips or ribbons or paperSS and DS respectively, the two strips being identical except in thatthe feed openings are spaced apart one inch in the single ticket stripand two inches in the double-ticket strip and the double tickets havetransverse lines of perforations P so that the two halves may be tornapart in use. In the case of price tickets the two halves are torn apartat the time of sale, one part remaining on the article sold and theother part being retained by the vendor. The indicia printed on thetickets usually involves information in addition to price, as forexample style, size, etc., and the indicia on the two halves of doubletickets is usually identical. In the illustration the indicia is printedin four rows extending transversely of the strip, the rows beingnumbered 1, 2, 3 and 4 (FIGS. 9 to 28).

The illustration comprises a base 11 carrying a strip guide 12 alongwhich a strip of single-ticket stock SS or double-ticket DS is fed fromleft to right in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 from a supply roll 13. Disposed overthe strip guide is a double printing head 14 comprising two parts 14 and14" distributed lengthwise of the strip guide at first and secondprinting stations. The printing head is moved up and down between theretracted position shown in FIG. 2 and printing position through theintermediate position shown in FIG. 1 Where it stops at the end of eachcycle.

Between successive descents of the printing head ink pads ink the typein the usual way. As usual in dial-set printing heads the printingcharacters are carried on belts B trained over upper and lower pulleys,the upper pulleys being rotatable by dials or knobs K to adjust thedesired characters to printing position (FIGS. 4 and 7). After thetickets are cut from the strip they may be attached to fabric by pinningmechanism including an anvil 16, all as disclosed in the aforesaidpatent.

According to this invention the part 14' of the printing head carriestwo rows 1 and 3 of indicia and the part 14 carries two more rows 2 and4 of indicia, rows 1 and 3 being staggered relatively to rows 2 and 4 sothat after all four rows are printed they appear in the order 1, 2, 3and 4 equally spaced apart (FIGS. 9 and 28). The strip of stock is fedinch by inch past the two printing stations by a feeder finger 17 whichengages in openings 0 and 0' in the ticket strip, tickets are cut offthe strip by a knife 18 between the two stations, and the cut-offtickets are ejected or fed to pinning mechanism by another finger 19,the two fingers being actuated in timed relation as hereinafterdescribed. Double-ticket stock has feed openings 0 spaced two inchesapart (FIGS. 19 to 28) and single-ticket stock has intermediate openings0' (FIGS. 9 to 18) so that the openings are spaced apart one inch. Whenprinting single-ticket stock a shield 21 is advanced to the positionshown in FIGS. 9 to 18 to prevent feed finger 17 from engaging openings0', the shield being locked in advanced position by a screw 22 (FIGS. 1and 7).

Printing double ticketsFIGS. 19 to 28 For use in printing double ticketsD having feed openings 0 spaced two inches apart without theintermediate openings 0, the shield 21 is locked in the retractedposition shown in FIGS. 19 to 28 so as to be inoperative and, by meanshereinafter described, the mechanism for actuating the printing head isset to cause the head to print twice during each cycle. The strip feeder17 advances in two steps of one inch each during each cycle, one stepbefore each printing. With the parts in idle position the feed finger 17is either in a feed opening 0 as shown in FIGS. 19 and 26 or just behindthe opening so as to drop into the opening when the cycle starts, theleading section of the ticket has already received lines 1, 2, 3 and 4and the trailing section, which is at the second station, has receivedlines 1 and 3. During each cycle the sequence of operations is: printlines 2 and 4 on the trailing section of the foremost ticket and lines 1and 3 on the leading section of the succeeding ticket (FIGS. 20 and 27);sever the foremost ticket (FIGS. 21 and 28); begin to eject the foremostticket and to advance the strip DS the first step (FIG. 22); completethe ejection and end the first step (FIG. 23); make the second printingto complete the lines of the leading section and to print lines 1 and 3on the trailing section (FIG. 24); end the second step (FIG. 25) andreturn to the idle position shown in FIG. 19.

Printing single tickets-FIGS. 9 to 18 For use in printing single ticketsS having the additional feed openings 0' the shield 21 is locked in theadvanced position shown in FIGS. 9 to 18 to prevent finger 17 fromadvancing the strip during its first step, and the printing headdescends only once during each cycle. During each cycle the sequence ofoperations is: print lines 2 and 4 on the foremost ticket and lines 1and 3 on the succeeding ticket (FIGS. 10 and 17); cut off the foremostticket (FIGS. 11 and 18); begin to eject the severed ticket (FIG. 12);end the ejection and begin to advance the strip the one step it takes insingle printing (FIG. 13); end the strip feed (FIG. 14); and return theparts to the idle position which they occupy at the end of each cycle(FIG. 15).

-The aforesaid parts are actuated in the timed relationship shown inFIG. 8 by cams on a cam shaft 30. Strip feeder 17 is actuated by cam 31through follower 32, bellcrank 33 and spring 34, the feeder beingadvanced by the spring and retracted by the cam. The bell-crank 33oscillates back and forth on an eccentric 34 (FIG. 3) with which thelength of the aforesaid first step of the feeder may be adjustedaccurately to position the location of lines 1 and 3 on the tickets. Bymeans of an adjustable stop 35 the length of the aforesaid second stepmay be adjusted whereby the location of lines 2 and 4 may be accuratelyadjusted relatively to lines 1 and 3. Ejector 19 is actuated by cam 36through follower 37, bell-crank 38 and spring 39, the ejector beingadvanced by the spring and retracted by the cam. The printing head 14 isactuated by cams 41 and 42 through follower 43 and bell-crank 44pivotally supported on shaft 46 (FIG. 4). The follower 43 has a stubshaft 44' slidably mounted in a journal 46 and adjustable axially by alever 47 pivoted at 48, the lower end of the lever being bifurcated andstraddling a pin 49 projecting from the stub shaft through a slot in thejournal 46. With the lever 47 in the clockwise position shown in FIG. 5the follower engages both earns 41 and 42 to make two printings percycle as above described, and with the lever in its counterclockwiseposition the follower engages only cam 41 to make a single printing percycle. The cutter 18 is actuated by cam 51 through follower 52 andbell-crank 53 pivotally supported on shaft 46 (FIG. 6). A spring 56holds the bell-crank against the bottom of the printing head at 57 sothat the knife follows the up-and-down movement of the head exceptimmediately after printing when cam 51 moves the knife farther down tosever a ticket.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For printing price tickets or other stock, apparatus comprising meansfor feeding a strip of stock along a predetermined path past first andsecond stations during each cycle of operation, a printer at the (firststation for printing one or more lines of indicia on the stock and aprinter at the second station for printing one or more additional linesof indicia on the stock in close parallel juxtaposition to said line orlines, said stations being distributed lengthwise of said path, meansbetween the two station for severing sections from the strip, saidfeeding means feeding a section of stock to the first printing stationin one step before the first printing and then feeding the section tothe second station in a second step for the second printing, first meansfor varying the length of said first step to adjust the position of thefirst printing lengthwise of the section, and second means for varyingthe length of said second step to adjust the position of the secondprinting relatively to the first printing, the feeder comprising an armswinging about an axis and the apparatus comprising a spring to advancethe arm and a cam to limit the advance, said first means comprisingmeans to shift said axis and said second means comprising an adjustablestop for the arm.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first means comprises aneccentric.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized by means foractuating said printers concomitantly.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 further characterized by meansassociated with said feeding means for causing the feeding means toactuate the printers once during each of said cycles for single ticketsand twice during each cycle for double tickets.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said two feeding stepsperformed by the same feeder in two steps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS (Other references on followingpage) 5 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,330,207 7/1967 De May 10'1-288 X 3/193101 90, 2,655,098 10/1953 Dutro et a1. 101227 X 4 1 c niy et 1 01 62,906,199 9/1959 Mitchell et a]. 101288 X 5; 132 j 8 125 ii 5 WILLIAM B.PENN, Primary Examiner. 2/1964 Lamers 101288 X US. C1. X.R. 7/1965Kuhnle et a1. 101-90 X 101-90, 292

